Seal of Malevolence
by Particular Pen
Summary: My Orichalcos Joey series continues, and in this installment- Joey and Yugi will actually face off! One of them is in danger of losing their souls forever... There's a number of changes in this AU version of events, so just read and see. I've also decided to build on Joey and Valon's relationship as associates, rather than enemies.


**Seal of Malevolence**

_Now comes the main story- since I've set the stage for Joey and Tristan to become evil..._

_Tristan remains at headquarters for now to undergo advanced training, while Joey has been sent out to seek and destroy Yugi._

_Will he actually be able to follow through on destroying his best friend?_

**(San Francisco)**

The Paradius helicopter hovered a few feet above the ground at a San Francisco park.

It was one of the smaller and usually abandoned parks, so not too much attention would be attracted.

Joey made sure his duel disk was securely fastened to his arm and then lept gracefully from the copter- landing securely on his feet.

A motorcycle engine vroomed above him, and then the wheels hit the pavement with a loud screech of rubber on cement.

His new friend and associate Valon was on the bike.

He gave Joey a sidelong playful grin, which Joey returned with a smirk.

He and Valon had become real buds in a short time. They had a lot in common.

"Let's go find this Yugi chump, 'ay mate?"

"You remember da plan?" Joey asked Valon.

"Uh course Wheeler!" Valon assured him, and extracted a folded note from his pocket. "I find him first- I'll make sure he gets this..."

Joey nodded.

"Not that you're likely to find him first," he teased Valon. "I know where he's expected to be."

Valon pouted and gave Joey a pleading look, which made the blonde laugh, but good-naturedly.

"Sorry Val," Joey said. "It'll be bettah this way. If both of us look, one of us is sure to find him!"

Valon sighed and nodded in agreement.

Truth be told- he felt such a connection with Joey that he already felt like it was more than friendship.

Joey noticed the sad look across Valon's features and felt conflicted about his plan.

Why not just let allow Valon to accompany him to the airport?

That was where Yugi and the gang had told him on the phone they'd rendevous- still believing him to be their friend...

Joey decided that Valon coming along would be okay.

"Alright Valon," Joey relented, and the other man's features brightened.

"Really?!" Valon exclaimed brightly.

"Yeah," Joey grinned and slung his arm over Valon's shoulder. "Don't worry bud. I know what ya feelin. You might not be alone..."

The truth was- Joey knew that Valon liked him.

Joey thought that maybe he liked Valon too- and that was unusual for him...

He didn't fall for very many people, and still wasn't entirely sure of his orientation.

This whole feelings thing was somewhat unknown to him...

However, Joey gave into his instinct and did what he felt was right to do just then.

He carefully moved in for Valon's cheek and planted a careful kiss there.

Valon turned his face and looked at Joey with bright eyes. It was hopeful and just a little longing.

"Later," Joey told him. "First, let's hit da airport!"

**(SF Airport)**

Yugi and Tea stepped through the automatic glass doors of San Francisco's huge airport into the afternoon sunshine.

It didn't look like Joey had arrived yet.

Yugi wondered why he and Tristan had gone off like this to begin with, and hadn't told either him or Tea.

That wasn't like his best friend...

Everything worried Yugi ever since a few nights ago. His Egyptian god cards had been stolen.

Then he'd been forced to duel for his life, with his soul at stake just like a Shadow Game.

It had been unusual not having Joey and Tristan there to support him and the Pharaoh.

As though sensing Yugi's troubled thoughts, the Pharaoh appeared in his thoughts.

"You're worried about Joey," the Pharaoh observed. "I'm sure he's fine Yugi..."

"I know," Yugi thought, so that only his alter-ego heard him. "Isn't this odd for he and Tristan though? They've never gone off to San Francisco like this without telling Tea or me..."

"I understand your worry," the Pharaoh admitted. "Everything seems more treacherous than ever this time..."

Yugi nodded, but just then Joey was exiting a taxi and approaching.

He waved, but Yugi thought it wasn't like him somehow.

Something about Joey's face seemed less warm and friendly, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"What's happenin Yuge?" Joey greeted him, but it was reserved, as though his mind were elsewhere.

"Oh nothing," Yugi replied, deciding that he was just glad Joey had found him.

Just then a motorcycle pulled up and a guy with spiked red hair got off.

"This your friend Joey?" Yugi asked, studying Valon curiously. "The one you came this far to see?"

"Dats him," Joey agreed more enthusiastically, giving Valon a smile. "I've been thinking Yuge. Didn't you tell me that Pegasus sent you a video?"

Yugi couldn't help thinking that Joey looked like he knew something as he asked that.

Maybe it was the fact that Joey was wearing a collected, almost smug look.

"Yeah," Yugi replied.

"Well let's go to Industrial Illusions headquartas," Joey suggested, and Yugi thought it wasn't as cheerful as he'd usually say it.

Joey was more calm and calculating.

Yugi couldn't put his finger on why his friend's behavior being different didn't seem right...

Still they all agreed to that plan and loaded into another Taxi, while Valon decided to follow on his motorcycle.

Yugi thought privately to himself, so that he and Yami could chat.

"Doesn't Joey seem different?"

"Maybe," the Pharaoh mused thoughtfully. "He does seem strangely on top of all this. It's almost as though he were leading us to Industrial Illusions..."

That's what Yugi had thought too, but he hoped he was wrong.

Was he just imagining things and overreacting?

That was also possible...

**(Industrial Illusions Main Office)**

The taxi ride was about twenty minutes, and Joey hadn't spoken the entire time from the front seat.

Tea had also remained strangely quiet, and kept looking at Joey with worry.

Yugi knew she must be having some of the same doubts.

They all stepped out and the taxi driver accepted the fare from Joey before driving off.

"Where'd you get money?" Yugi asked Joey, having watched the exchange.

"What?" Joey asked with an annoyed look. "You think I don't keep money or somethin?"

"That's not what I meant Joey," Yugi said, trying to sound apologetic.

Joey gave him a cold shoulder and didn't respond walking in front of them.

Yugi and Tea exchanged troubled looks.

Joey tried the doors of the office building just as Valon was pulling up, knowing he'd find them locked.

Dang it! How was he going to get inside to retrieve that thing for Masta Dartz?

Dartz had informed he and Valon before heading out that Pegasus hid something for Yugi at his office, but even he wasn't certain what.

'Masta Dartz needs that object,' Joey thought to himself, frustrated that the doors were locked.

"Hey Joey," Yugi said, and Joey felt annoyance again.

Nothing was the same between him and Yugi...

Yugi thought they were still friends, but now Joey thought he knew the truth.

Yugi was nothing except a whimp and a liar, who'd wormed his way inside he and Tristan's affections.

To think they'd fallen for it...

Joey bawled up his hands in a fist and bit his bottom lip with anger, thinking he only needed to keep up the act for a little longer.

"You got some way to get inside Yuge?" he asked, turning to his former friend.

Yugi noticed that Joey's look was dead void any affection he usually had and felt a deep sense of unrest.

"I think so," Yugi answered, ignoring his bad feeling.

He took out the card Pegasus had sent him and slid it through a nearby card key scanner.

"Accepted," a computerized female voice spoke. "Welcome to Industrial Illusions headquarters..."

The security cage shifted and began to automatically move upward.

They found the doors unlocked now.

Yugi and Tea stepped in, while Joey and Valon decided to follow behind.

The building was errily quiet, and Yugi didn't like that either.

Those biker punks might have gotten to Pegasus already...

"Wonder where he is?" Yugi wondered out loud.

"Not here," Joey said.

Yugi noticed that Joey had said it like he knew it, and couldn't keep in his doubts any longer.

"Joey what's going on?" he asked with worry. "I've felt like you've led me and Tea into this somehow..."

Joey smirked in a way Yugi didn't like at all.

"You could say that," Joey said. "Maybe I just wanted a place to duel ya..."

Yugi was confused.

"Duel?" he asked strangely, wondering if Joey was losing it. "We're here to find Pegasus!"

"No," Joey contradicted him, already slowly walking across the room.

He turned and faced Yugi with a wide space between them now.

"I brought you here to duel!" Joey told him, and reached inside his shirt.

He brought out a green crystal on a necklace, and Yugi gasped in recognition.

"Joey," he said, shaking his head. "No..."

He knew what that green crystal was for, and could hardly believe his eyes.

"Joey tell me you didn't," Yugi pleaded, but he already got a sinking feeling.

"What's wrong?" Joey asked with snort. "Jealous because I get to taste power for a change? We don't all have ancient puzzles around our neck..."

Tea shook her head in disbelief.

"Joey stop," she begged. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"Wrong," Joey told her, and flung out his arm to expand his new duel disk. "I came here to show Yugi that it's my turn to taste power. Power that people like him think they can keep to themselves!"

Yugi felt the Pharaoh push at his thoughts suddenly, and knew the ancient ruler wanted out.

He made the switch and now observed from inside their mind.

"Yu-Gi-Oh!"

The Pharoah looked at Joey with his most serious scowl.

"Joey you're making a mistake!"

"No Pharaoh!" Joey snapped at him. "You made a mistake by coming here..."

Yugi shook his head.

"Joey we can't actually do this," the Pharaoh said.

"Too late," Joey retorted. "I'm already doin it!"

Then he drew his first card.

"I think you've seen this card before," Joey said with a grin.

The Pharaoh's eyes widened with disbelief.

"Joey no!" he said. "You can't. Don't play it! That card is messing with your mind!"

Joey laughed bitterly.

"That's funny," he snarked. "Since you don't think it's messin when you swing that puzzle around!"

Then Joey flipped the card and showed him what he was about to play.

"I play the Seal of Orichalcos," he declared and the field slot of his duel disk opened to receive the card.

He threw it in, eager to feel it's power fill him.

"No Joey!" the Pharaoh shouted.

"Too late!" Joey exclaimed with a wicked grin.

A black aura enveloped his body as the green seal extended outward from his feet and trapped the two of them.

Joey grinned in a way not like him at all as the green seal burned into his forehead.

He looked- evil...

"Now that's better!" Joey exclaimed, inhaling with pleasure.

His eyes glowed with a red fury.

"Joey why?" Tea asked, shaking her head. "Why did you play that card?"

"Because I'm tired of Yugi having what I don't," Joey snapped in an ugly way. "I'm taking you apart next Tea, so don't go away. After I deal with his majesty here!"

Yugi shook his head sadly and flung his own duel disk into active mode.

"I guess I have no choice," the Pharaoh said with heavy regret. "This Orichalcos power has changed you. It's my duty to set you free!"

Joey laughed like the power-hungry madman he'd become.

He laughed and laughed...

"Set me free!" he barked. "That's rich! You can't even free yourself. Just look around Pharaoh..."

The Seal of Orichalcos was still there, and Yugi knew it wouldn't go away without taking one of them.

Joey raised his first card- ready to start the duel off...

_To be continued..._

_I decided to do a little AU story now that Joey and Tristan are evil, and this one will be a few chapters._

_Let me know what you think..._


End file.
